North East Asia

Wade Davis considers endangered cultures to be cultures that are down to just a handful o individuals whose lifestyle and language are getting displaced by the worldwide growth of more modern technologies and dominant languages such as English forcing indigenous peoples to learn a different language than their own so that they can participate in the increasingly global economy and general way of living. Living as a member of an indigenous endangered culture is difficult, as it excludes you from being a member of the current “society”. I do agree with Wade Davis that these cultures contribute knowledge and traditions and languages that should be preserved. I do however think that it can be hard to balance this with the increasing needs of the majority population of the earth who live within the sphere of a global society. These indigenous groups are far outnumbered by the people living in metropolis cities and the world only seems headed for more and more urbanization. I’m not sure at this point that the governments of the world can prioritize protecting endangered cultures, but I think that they certainly can and that at least ensuring the newer generations of these groups have an understanding of their cultures and their languages, as these cultures should not be lost to history. Cultural diversity is surely important, I think that at a certain point you must consider what benefits the most people and I don’t know if preserving a language that perhaps ten people speak is impacting the millions who are living homeless all over the world. It is simply hard to factor people who are living a lifestyle that intentionally isolates them from society at large into the bigger picture. Perhaps they could offer these people special representatives in government.

Mongolia is a very unique place from a biodiversity and cultural diversity perspective. Culturally Mongolia has many different indigenous cultures all living together, mostly different tribes of herders. The most endangered are the reindeer herders or “Dukha”(Smithsonian 2016). They are some of the last remaining reindeer herders and only a handful of families remain. Most known for their deer stones monoliths, they seem destined to disappear. Currently, the Mongolian government and the Smithsonian are working together to preserve the unique culture of reindeer herders in Mongolia, or at least remnants of their culture. 

Mongolia interestingly because of its high altitude plainlike conditions and harsh weather seems to have a very low level of biodiversity(CBD 2020). However, due to a relatively low population density anywhere outside of the major cities, Mongolia’s minimal biodiversity is relatively safe compared to much of the world. The cities themselves are dominated by coal plants and mining which is a big part of the Mongolian economy, so perhaps continued urbanization will change this.

Sources:

“Preserving Mongolian Culture at the Edge of the Arctic.” Smithsonian Office of International Relations and Global Programs, https://global.si.edu/success-stories/preserving-mongolian-culture-edge-arctic. 

Unit, Biosafety. “Report On Biological Diversity Mongolia.” Convention on Biological Diversity, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/?country=mn. 

Sidney Stadelmann

October 21, 2022

In today’s world of mass media, we see a rapid spread of information and culture via technology. However, in most cases this spread of pop culture and ideas does not encourage the diversity of culture, but rather homogenizes culture. Traditional cultures enrich life on earth, and add to what Wade Davis coins the “ethnosphere”. He states, however, that the ethnosphere is being “eroded” and destroyed at a shocking rate. We see this through the loss of language, which allows traditional ancient culture to be passed down, and thus the ancient traditions and beliefs die along with the language. Cultures today are not only struggling to pass down their traditions and beliefs, but also have to combat the forces encouraging homogeneity. 

In southern Siberia the Teleut community is suffering from the aforementioned challenges of language preservation. An article from the Washington Post illustrates how, “…The Teleut, a centuries-old tribe whose domain once spanned from the steppes of southern Siberia into northern Mongolia, speak one of the languages on the brink of extinction. Only 2,900 Teleut are left in Russia, and only one in 10 speaks the language fluently”. If this language is lost, “…so is the nation”, according to Maria Kochubeyeva, President of the Association of Teleut People. Cultural loss and the homogeneity of language poses a serious threat to native communities, and active efforts must be taken if culture is to be preserved. 

CITATIONS: 

Rodriguez, Alex. “As Culture Shifts, Many Languages in Siberia Slowly Disappear.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 21 Jan. 2007, https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2007/01/21/as-culture-shifts-many-languages-in-siberia-slowly-disappear/35eb30d2-e247-4c06-ac80-2a4981c07e69/. 

China has many endangered cultures, Of course, there are the commonly known ones, like the Uighurs, but throughout china, there are many less-known cultures that are being killed off at a similar rate. These, however, are being killed not by detainment camps, although as Wade Davis mentioned, many have been hurt by the political revolution and other past programs, the modern day, they are being killed by the government’s inclusion efforts. I know a woman from china, Guangxi province, part of the Yue ethnicity, who speaks their dialect, but it is slowly being lost. She forgot it as she moved away from her hometown to the massive city of shanghai for university. In the case of the Uighur, however, it is more purposeful discrimination in an attempt to erase their culture. The Chinese government feels that the Uighurs are a threat, so they are working to silence them. There are rules to ensure that they do not use their native Turkish tongue and speak mandarin. As Yasmeen Seran in the Atlantic said, ‘“Without the language as an organizing feature,” Naar said, “there is a lot that is lost.”’ (Yasmeen Seran). Many Uighur cultures are being hurt less explicitly than by the detainment camps and the arrests. Ethnologue lists nearly 300 languages within the Chinese borders, many of which are being slowly killed by the homogeny of the Chinese schooling systems. It is essential to save the language as that is the soul of the cultures being destroyed and lost by industrialization at the same rate. 

Sources:

https://www.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/06/on-saving-chinas-dying-languages/276971/

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/10/chinas-war-on-uighur-culture/616513/

In the Korean Peninsula, the concept of nationalism largely is tied to resistance against outside influence, primarily from Japan and to some extent from Europe. Like most things on the peninsula, it is expressed far differently in the South as compared to the North.

In South Korea, nationalism in an anti-Japanese sense still exists and plays a role in economic policy and trade, with the two countries occasionally butting heads with one another. However, primarily the nationalist identity of South Korea, particularly among the younger generation, is one defined by neoliberal values, with South Korea as its own unique state in the global western sphere, separate entirely from the Northern half of the peninsula. Skepticism towards Japan is definitely still a sentiment that defines South Korea, particularly the older generations, but they are now much more skeptical of their hostile twin to the North. Nearly sixty-nine percent of South Koreans say they support the reunification of the peninsula, although a fair number of younger South Koreans seem concerned that their welfare and economy would be negatively impacted by reunification.

Meanwhile, in the North, the national identity takes on a far different tone. It is a staunchly militarist one, dictated by the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. Accurate, trustworthy polling of the people of North Korea cannot be found, so the only information on the state of nationalism in the DPRK can be found through the voices of defectors, as well as statements put out by the official state media apparatus of the regime. The nationalism of the Northern half of the Korean nation is one largely rooted in a hatred of the enemies of the Kim regime, as well as an adoration for its reigning and past heads. There is also a strong vein of ethno nationalism, a belief that the Korean race is inherently superior to all others. Frequently, the state media will release stories about supposed archaeological digs unearthing relics of Korea’s past, linking to some ancient and perhaps mythical origins for the Korean people, attempting to draw a direct link between the people who inhabited the peninsula tens of thousands of years ago to those residing in it today to try and demonstrate a grand historical lineage.

Sources:

The Rise of Nationalism in Korea. University of Hawai’i Press. University of Hawai’i. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/23718828.pdf. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.

Campbell, Emma. South Korea’s New Nationalism: The End of “One Korea”? Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc., 2016.

“A Peninsula of Paradoxes: South Korean Public Opinion on Unification and Outside Powers.” carnegieendowment.org, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 13 May 2020, carnegieendowment.org/2020/05/13/peninsula-of-paradoxes-south-korean-public-opinion-on-unification-and-outside-powers-pub-81737.

“North Korean Nationalism: Reading the Paleolithic Text .” isdp.edu, Jeonbuk National University, 19 Nov. 2021, isdp.eu/content/uploads/2021/11/North-Korean-Nationalism-Reading-the-Paleolithic-Text-IB-19.11.2021.pdf.

Historical Changes in North Korean Nationalism. 2007, www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/43908751.pdf.

Sidney Stadelmann – October 16, 2022

Nationalism and Patriotism are both ideologies relating to identity, and connection to one’s country of origin. Although both encompass a sense of pride, there are also distinct differences between the two. Patriotism encompasses the feelings of love and support for one’s country, and encourages a sense of unity within the country based on shared moral values. To be a “patriot” means to defend one’s country, or to act in service for the community (veterans and individuals who served in the military are often the most common examples of a “patriot”, but it could be as small an act as hanging a flag on the front porch). Nationalism, on the other hand, still embodies certain qualities of pride and support for one’s country, but can also have more negative connotations, especially in regard to isolationism and viewing one’s country as better than other countries. This can often manifest into more intense/ severe thoughts around the priorities of the country, and putting those interests above the interests and needs of other nations. 

Being part of Russia, Siberia is no stranger to the effects nationalism can have. The most relevant example of Russia’s nationalism is seen through the war against Ukraine. Russia is attempting to regain control over former Russian states, based on the ideology of reuniting Russian powers. As clearly seen in the war, these ideologies around Russian superiority have extremely negative consequences. Russia’s desire to accomplish its political goals is coming at the cost of millions of lives.  

Siberia also suffers from the many inequalities of Russia, one of which being economic inequality and imbalances in wealth distribution. According to The Guardian, “…Russia is the most unequal of all the world’s major economies. The richest 10% of Russians own 87% of all the country’s wealth, according to the report, compared with 76% in the US and 66% in China”. Siberia is a very valuable area for Russia in term of resource extraction. As mentioned in last week’s post, Siberia exports large amounts of fossil fuels and metals, however the people in Siberia do not reap the rewards from these resources. Economic inequalities are only one of numerous disparities within Siberia, but give a clear example of the political and economic state of Russia. 

CITATIONS: 

Melvin , Neil. “Nationalist and Imperial Thinking Define Putin’s Vision for Russia.” Royal United Services Institute, 2 Mar. 2022, https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/nationalist-and-imperial-thinking-define-putins-vision-russia.

Walker , Shaun. “Unequal Russia: Is Anger Stirring in the Global Capital of Inequality?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 25 Apr. 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/apr/25/unequal-russia-is-anger-stirring-in-the-global-capital-of-inequality.

Firstly, I would like to say this was originally supposed to be my first blog post however I ended up doing them in reverse order. This post is just an introduction to the country of Mongolia itself. 

Mongolia is a relatively large country area wise in northeast Asia nestled between China to the south and Russia to the north. The geography of Mongolia is primarily dominated by plains, as well as mountains. Thus due to the plains and grasslands, Mongolia traditionally was an economy based on herding and livestock as well as agriculture in general. It has transitioned to a more modern trade based economy which primarily centers around trade with its two large neighbors. Mongolia is populated by around 3.2 million people, and its largest city Ulaanbaatar is home to 1.4 million people (nearly half the population of the country as a whole!). Mongolia is governed by a democratic government with the head of state currently being Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene. Mongolia is not a particularly powerful country and lacks nuclear weapons, however it does have a large military considering the size of the nation itself. Mongolia was a former Soviet State from 1924 up until 1992. During this time the country was a communist satellite of the USSR, in 1992 they established democratic elections and ever since have remained independent despite the size and aggression of both China and Russia. Interestingly while Mongolia was considered a satellite state of the Soviet Union it technically was never annexed, and in fact, the soviets denied to annex Mongolia despite Mongolia asking to be annexed. However because its economy was directly intertwined and integrated into that of the Soviet Union it was very much a part of the Soviet Union.

Mongolia is a country with a rich history, beautiful geography, and surprising relevance in geopolitics. I look forward to continuing my research and inquiry into this often underrepresented nation.

“Mongolia.” United States Trade Representative, https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/china-mongolia-taiwan/mongolia.

“Mongolia: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report.” Freedom House,

https://freedomhouse.org/country/mongolia/freedom-world/2021.

U.S. Department of State, U.S.

Department of State, https://history.state.gov/countries/mongolia.

Sidney Stadelmann – October 9, 2022

It’s no secret that our modern globalized world has allowed for conflict between countries to reach much farther than before. The war in Ukraine has touched nearly every corner of the world in some way, and thanks to technology, citizens of Earth can stay updated with every tragic story.  However, one narrative not as frequently told is the impacts the war has on the physical environment, yet this one of the many ways Siberia is reaping the consequences of Russian war efforts. 

Located in and near the Arctic Circle, Siberia consists of numerous ecological biomes that are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change. Such biomes include taiga forests and tundras, which are extremely vulnerable to rising temperatures. During the last ice age, these regions were entirely covered by glaciers, and are still mostly permafrost. However, with globalization comes increased human activity, and thus, pollution. For example, rising global temperatures and erosion from clear cutting are causing permafrost areas to slightly thaw, harming biodiversity and animal habitats. 

Russian war efforts are only perpetuating these dangers. “A tragic link between war and global warming could unfold imminently in Siberia: Wildfires that spew emissions may burn out of control because Russian military units that normally locate and fight them are in Ukraine” (Freedman). These fires – either caused by the war, or not addressed due to war priorities – have extreme effects on carbon emission rates. The taiga forests that these fires target are carbon sinks, meaning they store old carbon, but when burned, release that carbon into the atmosphere. This creates a cycle (often referred to as a positive feedback loop) where the increased carbon in the atmosphere leads to more fires, which causes more carbon to be released, and thus the cycle repeats. The war against Ukraine is drafting essential firefighters to be military personnel, and taking crucial resources away from already threatened environments. Among the many effects Siberia is facing from the war, the northeastern region of Russia is also shouldering the burden of accelerating climate change. 

CITATIONS: 

Encyclopedic Entry. “Taiga.” National Geographic Society, 19 May 2022, https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/taiga.

Freedman, Andrew. “Scientists Fear Ukraine War Will Worsen Siberian Wildfires.” Axios, 22 Apr. 2022, https://www.axios.com/2022/04/22/siberia-wildfires-war-ukraine.

Kirby, Paul. “Why Has Russia Invaded Ukraine and What Does Putin Want?” BBC News, BBC, 9 May 2022, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589. 

Sidney Stadelmann- October 9, 2022

Peer into the world of Siberia: the Northeastern region of Russia, situated in Central and Northern Asia. Known for its vast landscapes and harsh weather, Siberia covers 13,000,000 sq km of land, yet is home to few. In many places, the population density of Siberia averages to be less than 1 person per km of land (see figure below). Although sparsely populated, Siberia is abundant in natural resources, especially for fuels like coal, petroleum, and iron ore. A majority of the industry in Siberia consists of metal production, however the southern regions of Siberia also produce wheat, rye, oats, and sunflowers. The cultural, social, and political elements of Siberia are also interesting to uncover. Although still a region of Russia, Siberia has many cultural influences from its’ neighbors, Mongolia and China (as well as northern Asia in general). Before becoming colonized by Russian trappers in the 16th century, Siberia was under the influence of China from 1000 BC, and the Turkic-Mongols in the 3rd century BC. Early settlement of Siberia likely began during the Paleolithic Era, with small nomadic groups who engaged in subsistence farming and hunting-and-gathering. Although there were efforts to convert indigenous groups to the Russian Orthodox faith, many tribes have retained their traditional customs and beliefs. Most traditional Siberia cultures remain in a nature-based belief system, recognizing an innate spirit in all things. A Shaman in the community serves as a mediator between the natural and spirit world, and traditional shaman dress features elaborate animal skins and ornaments depicting symbols from the spirit world. 

In today’s modern Siberia, this intersectionality creates a multicultural region with centuries of conflicting history. Stay tuned throughout the term to learn more about this fascinating corner of the world. 

CITATIONS: 

Crate, Susie. “At Home in Siberia.” At Home in Siberia, Cultural Survival , 1 Mar. 1992, https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/home-siberia.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Siberia.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 20 July 1998, https://www.britannica.com/place/Siberia.

Quam, Joel, and Scott Campbell. “Russian Domain: Regional Example.” The Western World Daily Readings on Geography, College of DuPage Digital Press, 31 Aug. 2020, https://cod.pressbooks.pub/westernworlddailyreadingsgeography/chapter/russian-domain-regional-example/#:~:text=For%20all%20its%20vast%20territory,two%20people%20per%20square%20mile. 

Henry Axon – October 6, 2022

As the war between Ukraine and Russia rages on, just about everyone on earth is feeling the impacts economically and politically. The country of Mongolia is certainly no exception. Nestled directly between China to the South and Russia to the north, Mongolia inevitably is at the very least indirectly forced into the conflicts of both nations.

Regarding the current war in Ukraine, Mongolia is walking a fine line. With a small and unsustainable economy, 84% of their exports are bound for China. An impressive 26% of imports, primarily grain are from Russia. (WITS 2022) While Mongolia has long sought to decrease reliance on Russia, their “third neighbor initiative” focusing on trade and alliance with Korea, Japan, and the US has only had limited success, and their economy still relies heavily on Russia and China. (Stanway 2022) Economically Mongolia has been forced to be careful in its continued dealings with Russia. Like the rest of the world, a fuel crisis is a real fear. For now, it seems that Mongolia will not be directly harmed besides a slight decrease in economic growth expectation from 5.1% down to 2.5% ( Odonbaatar 2022).

From a political perspective, the war has led to a tense situation as Mongolia chooses to pursue both relationships with the US as well as Russia and China by necessity. Most notably they were one of only a handful of nations to withhold from condemning Russia for their invasion. (Stanway 2022) While the Mongolian government remains neutral out of what they see as a necessity, the people of Mongolia have long protested the war ever since pandemic restrictions were lifted (Smith 2022). Perhaps this will Push the Government to commit to picking a side in the conflict, this is however unlikely due to the powerful economic and political ties between Ulaanbaatar and Moscow.

 Ultimately, the war in Ukraine is in some a worst-case scenario for a landlocked nation like Mongolia which relies on trade. They are forced to trade through Russia and China and have very few options. While they continue to pursue new western allies, they are in a dangerous position with the watchful eyes of Moscow and Beijing watching. A move toward the west will isolate Mongolia from its most crucial partners, and a move toward Russia will lead to continued and increasingly powerful economic reliance on Russia and China.

Sources:

“Mongolia Trade.” Mongolia Trade | WITS Data, https://wits.worldbank.org/CountrySnapshot/en/MNG.

“Mongolia.” United States Trade Representative, https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/china-mongolia-taiwan/mongolia.

Odonbaatar, A. “WAR IN UKRAINE AND ITS IMPACTS ON MONGOLIA’S ECONOMY.” Friedrich Eibert Stiftung, Mongolian Institute for Innovative Policies, 2022, https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/mongolei/19533.pdf.

Person, and David Stanway. “Mongolia’s East-West Balancing Act Buffeted by Russian Invasion of Ukraine.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 3 Mar. 2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/mongolias-east-west-balancing-act-buffeted-by-russian-invasion-ukraine-2022-03-03/.

Smith, Marissa J. “Mongolia’s Razor’s Edge Relationship with Russia.” – Democracy and Society | IPS Journal, IPS Journal, 6 Oct. 2022, https://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/democracy-and-society/mongolias-razors-edge-relationship-with-russia-5859/.